How to survive a rainy summer holiday day

Hey readers,

We all know we were lucky with the heat in some ways because at least it was dry and you get a sh*t load of washing done in a flash. However, the tides are turning and the risk of rain is high as we still have two weeks left of this holiday. So, how do our parents get through them dreaded wet days, let me tell you how...

Watch a movie. 

Now is an ample opportunity to not feel guilty about the TV as most parents will be in the same boat. So, why not get an update with the latest hits, sit back, and rest their tired parent eyes. Can't beat cosy cuddles when it is raining cats and dogs outside.

Den. 

One of my kids' favourite things to do is play with a den. As long as you have chairs or a table or even to cover, this can be great entertainment, especially if you have siblings. Simple pleasures make happy children.

Muddle Puddles.

Don't be afraid to go out in the rain. Kids love getting their wellies on and jumping in muddy puddles. It doesn't matter if they get dirty just take some spare clothes or you can change them at home.

Take a bath. 

Do you know that sometimes when we are staying cooped up indoors with my boys do you know what I give them? A bath...that is right and they love it, especially if there are lots of bubbles. I give them a bath in the afternoon to chill them out a bit. It is a great way to kill a bit of boredom and before you know it you have killed a shed load of time by filling up the bath, doing the bath and then drying them off.

Books. 

Books are great for imagination and such a calming activity for children. They can help read the book if they are old enough and it is an easy way to have a discussion and chat about what the book is all about etc.

Baking. 

My boys love baking in the kitchen and not just for the prospect of licking the spoon when we have finished mixing all the ingredients together. They feel proud of their achievements and you can have treats when you watch a movie.

Paint outdoors. 

What kid doesn't love painting, a fun way to incorporate this is to give your child a brush, paper, and paint then they are free to go wild outside. They get fresh air, your crafting so no guilt. Life is good.

Indoor picnics. 

Picnics are not just for when you are outdoors, you can have a lovely picnic at home on the floor. I guarantee this will go down a hit. Just place a picnic blanket on the floor and bring the goodies along, such an alternative way to eat indoors.

When it is raining is a perfect time to spend some quality time at home with your loved ones and what better way to do something together than to do some of the board games up in the loft.

What kind of things do you do when you're at home with the kids on a rainy day?

Cheers for reading X

My Sunday Photo 31/07/2022

We went hunting for dinosaurs this week in our local shopping centre 🦕 

100 kids summer bucket list

Hey readers,

Summer holidays are here and if you are bored or looking for some ideas on what to do for entertainment then check out my list of a whopping 100 ideas of a varied mix of things you can get inspired to do today.  

1. Go fishing. 

2. Go rock climbing. 

3. go on a nature hunt. 

4. Blow bubbles. 

5. Stargaze. 

6. Build a sandcastle. 

7. Fly a kite. 

8. Have a picnic. 

9. Make homemade slime. 

10. Paint rocks. 

11. Visit a museum. 

12. Learn to ride a bike. 

13. Explore local parks. 

14. Write a letter. 

15. Go bowling. 

16. Go to an amusement park. 

17. Attend a children's theatre production. 

18. Have a movie night. 

19. Do a science experiment. 

20. Visit a farmers market. 

21. Bake a cake. 

22. Create a family scrapbook. 

23. Go boating. 

24. Go crabbing. 

25. Go swimming and have a cake after. 

26. Make ice cream/ice lollies. 

27. Pick fruit. 

28. Play mini golf. 

29. Visit an ice cream parlour. 

30. Have a picnic. 

31. Visit a national trust property. 

32. Visit an outdoor paddling pool. 

33. Visit an English Heritage property. 

34. Make a birdfeeder. 

35. Have a bonfire. 

36. Go birdwatching.

 

37. Play catch. 

38. Go to the beach. 

39. Chase waves. 

40. Go on a nature walk. 

41. Jump on a trampoline. 

42. Plant a tree. 

43. Play hide and seek. 

44. Dance in the rain.

45. Go to the library and join the summer reading challenge. 

46. Write your own bucket wish list. 

47. Make a den. 

48. Make a blanket ford. 

49. Make origami. 

50. Make fruit kebabs. 

51. Draw on the pavement with chalk.

52. Help out a neighbour. 

53. Paint with squirt guns. 

54. Go swimming in a lake. 

55. Have a water fight.

56. Climb a tree. 

57. Wash a car. 

58. Play frisbee. 

59. Watch the sunrise. 

60. Watch the sunset. 

61. Go on a hike. 

62. Go kayaking. 

63. Go to the zoo. 

64. Take a road trip. 

65. See a drive-in movie. 

66. Go to the cinema.

 

67. Skip rocks in a rocker. 

68. Vist an arboretum.

69. Have a barbeque. 

70. Help cook dinner. 

71. Bake some biscuits.

72. Visit an aquarium.

 

73. Finish a jigsaw puzzle. 

74. Make tie die t-shirts. 

75. Roast marshmallows. 

76. Visit an animal shelter. 

77. Hula hoop. 

78. Visit a garden centre.

79. Go on a bike ride. 

80. Go on a scooter ride.  

81. Scavenger hunt. 

82. Go to a free concert. 

83. Stay up late. 

84. Run in a sprinkler. 

85. Do a science experiment.

86. Plant flowers.

87. Go to the fair.

88. Visit family. 

89. Play pooh sticks. 

90. Make a sun catcher.

91. Go pond dipping. 

92. Decorate a flower pot and then add some plants. 

93. Have a garden party. 

94. Watch the clouds. 

95. Do some flower pressing. 

96. Enter a writing competition. 

97. Do the blue peter completion. 

98. Explore rock pools. 

99. Have a photoshoot. 

100. Donate or sell old toys or books. 

Happy summer holidays 😊

Cheers for reading X

5 tips to help with baby weaning.

Hey readers.

As parents there comes a point when we have a baby where we have to think about how we are going to wean our babies off breast formula milk and onto solid foods. It is nothing to be scared or worried about and I have some good baby weaning tips to help make the process feel less daunting for you. 

What is weaning?

baby weaning is a process where you introduce the baby's solid foods alongside breastmilk or formula milk. The intention is to wean them off the milk so, in the end, they are fully eating solids for the food intake. 

When to start weaning? 

The NHS advises that you should wean your baby when they reach around 6 months old - the reason they say around is that all babies are different and some are more eager to start earlier than others.

Signs that your baby is ready to start weaning. 

• Your baby is getting towards six months in age.

• Your baby is able to hold their head and neck steady, so they can swallow safely.

• Your baby has some hand-eye coordination, so they will be able to see food, pick it up and get it into their mouth. (Although even the most coordinated baby will get food everywhere in the early days of weaning!)

Tip: Don’t start weaning before your baby is at least four months old (17 weeks+). Her digestive system just won’t be ready for it.

How to wean your baby. 

Baby-led - basically putting food on a plate so the baby can be free to explore or throw the food around (lol) be warned lots of mess but gives them freedom. Some babies love this, my eldest was not a fan, lol!

Spoonfed -My eldest loved this don't know why though I think now reflecting back he is autistic so one theory is he likes the structure having all the food on one plate is overwhelming for him. 

Having food on a spoon than in the mouth is much less stimulated and had to think less of what to do. I guess I don't know. Like I said all children are different, it is just a case of going with the flow of what is right for you and your baby. 

 Tips to help with baby weaning. 

 1. No right or wrong to weaning.

When I was going through the process of introducing my eldest to solid food about 9 odd years ago I went to my local sure start centres (though think closed down or changed name) but they were obsessed with baby-led weaning.

 I felt very stressed firstly I am autistic and really struggled because I felt I had to listen to the pressure of baby-led weaning and being a new parent is terrifying so you want to do the best thing you can as a parent. 

Now reflecting back I can say this it doesn't matter if you baby-led or if you puree. If you do a bit of both then is no correct way and each baby guesses what is different, has a different palette and likes to think what they like. My guess is to try with what works if it does then just do, no point stressing yourself out like I did because you are going to make yourself miserable and dread the process. 

2. He won't like everything.

Be prepared if your child doesn't like anything because you know what might happen and that is ok like I said every child is different. I don't see why you would force a child to like something when adults are allowed to like what they like and not like what they don't like.

 Just go with the flow and remember with time the child's tastes change as well when they start to grow you be managed how much they do change. 

3. It may not work every time.

Things take time and they don't automatically work overnight. weaning a child on to solids is a progressive thing that takes time, it is a  massive change from going from liquid all the time to then moving over to food.

 Just be prepared as like I always say each child is different there is no set outline of how long the process takes it could possibly take days, weeks or even months but don't worry just relax take it as a work in progress and don't focus on the end date, it is more important than your baby gets used to the new changes in their diet. 

4. Get the baby comfy.

One tip I would suggest when it comes to baby weaning is that make sure the baby is comfortable, what I mean by that is make sure your baby is sitting comfortably in the chair on the floor. 

Make sure that you are close to giving encouragement and smiles along with plenty of cuddles because this is a new experience with a big change so having support will really help adjust well. 

5. Drink. 

Make sure the baby is still drinking fluid. You can introduce your baby to a Sippy cup at around 6 months and offer sips of water. When the baby reaches one year old the baby can have whole milk 

Have you got any good baby weaning tips that I have missed out on anything important? Love to hear your thoughts in the comment section down below. 

Cheers for reading X 

My Sunday Photo 24/07/2022

4 ways to reduce your food bill

 Hey readers, 

As times are getting tough you want to be looking for ways to cut down on your food bill then I have four good solid ways to reduce your bill that can make a massive difference. 

1. Bulk buying.

If you have the cupboard space, bulk buying can be really cost-effective.

If you check the label of the product you are buying, it will tell you the price per kilogram – and the big bags almost always work out much cheaper. The deals can be even better if you can buy from a wholesaler or bulk-buying specialist such as Costco – although bear in mind these firms come with annual membership fees that you need to factor in.

Start with items such as pasta and tea bags – these have long shelf lives and are great for meal planning when money is tight.

It’s also great for household essentials. Tesco charges £8 for a pack of 36 Ariel All-in-1 washing pods. However, a pack of 120 will cost you £20. That’s 22p each versus 17p each. Watch out though as sometimes the smaller packs can work out cheaper, so always check.

2. Avoid fridge chaos.

A disorganised fridge can wreak havoc with your food's longevity, flavour and nutritional value. The bottom shelf is the coldest, and ideal for raw meat, fish and poultry. Store eggs on the middle shelf as they shouldn’t get too cold. The top shelf is the warmest and has the most consistent temperature, therefore is good for dairy and pre-prepared foods that don't need cooking. 

The doors are the warmest place in the fridge and best for foods containing preservatives. Wrap cheese in a resealable bag and store it in a plastic tub to prevent it from drying out.

Organising your cupboards and fridge will ensure that you know what you already own, hopefully stopping you from buying duplicates and ending up with five jars of the same thing. It’s a good idea to keep an up-to-date list of what is in your freezer, as leftovers can often get pushed to the back and forgotten about. You’re not saving money if you don’t eat the food.

 3. Make the most out of loyalty schemes. 

Many supermarkets have schemes in place providing incentives - such as vouchers for money off your groceries - to incentivise shoppers to keep buying at their stores.

For example, Sainsbury's runs its Nectar card reward scheme, where customers receive points every time they shop in stores.

To get one Nectar point you need to spend £1 in Sainsbury’s store, or you get one Nectar point for every litre of fuel purchased in Sainsbury’s fuel stations. The scheme now offers personalised discounts based on customers' shopping habits.

Morrisons' has recently revamped its loyalty scheme too. Instead of collecting points to get money off shopping, customers are now offered instant rewards when they spend money in stores.

4. Sign up for food waste apps.

Olio or Too Good To Go are great examples of apps where you can source surplus food or heavily discounted food. They will highlight restaurants or cafes nearby that have wasted food they want to sell, with customers able to pick up “Magic Bags’ at a set price. Consumers can even order in advance meaning expensive lunches in the office could be a thing of the past.

What do you think about my points about reducing the food bill? Have I missed any good advice that you think is good? Love to hear your thoughts in the comment section down below. 

Cheers for reading X 

 

Why I disagree with buying teachers presents

Hey readers,

It is the summer holiday break up today and as I took my son to school I witnessed the number of presents a lot of parents brought with them to hand out to the teachers.

I will be honest, I don’t believe in giving teachers presents because for one I am forced to take my child to school, and ok I could go down the route of homeschooling but I am just capable and I want to give my son the best opportunities.  I am a strong believer in giving people the choice and it feels a little bit false, in the fact that there is pressure from the Clintons, etc. I believe in choice and it just feels like you have to do it.

Part of me sees it as a competition from parents to get the present (but that is a whole new political post of its own). I wonder whether there is a bit of arse linking because if they are giving praise etc. it can influence how they view the child.

OK, now it’s that some are genuine and what to do something to say thank you to their teacher for helping their child. But what happens if you don’t have the funds and some people can’t even afford a spare quid, so don’t give me that one. 

Why do we have to buy material stuff, ok it is easier to buy a box of chocolates, it just seems that to say thank you to the teacher to buy them stuff. It is peer pressure at its finest, if you haven’t brought a teacher something then there is a chance you feel guilty or embarrassed about it. I don’t think parents should have to feel like this but I know some people do.

So, therefore I believe that it should be banned to buy stuff for teachers as parents have enough stuff to buy and find the money (I know this struggle I have been there it makes you feel totally crap as a parent).

Cheers for reading X